GCash will no longer allow access to its app from jailbroken (for iOS) or rooted (for Android) phones. This is part of the company’s efforts to strengthen controls and safeguard all customers’ accounts from potential threats.
According to GCash’s support pages, jailbreaking or rooting a smartphone means that the user has unofficial access to the phone’s operating system and key features, which can compromise the security and performance of the device. Jailbroken or rooted devices cannot receive security updates, expose the device to malware and viruses, and lead to unauthorized access to personal and financial data.
The same measures apply to Android phones in “developer mode”. Developer mode lets users access to option not normally available, usually for testing purposes. Although it is generally safe, some settings, such as USB debugging and other ADB related options, could open the device to security risks.
GCash said that this update is an added security to customers’ accounts as well as a safe and secure user experience. The company assured that having an issue on a modified device does not block the customers’ accounts. They can still safely log in on an unmodified device.
To check if a device is jailbroken or rooted, GCash advised the customers to follow these steps:
- For Android devices, tap Settings, select About Phone, and tap Status Information.
- For iOS devices, search if there is a third-party application for jailbreaking that is installed on the device.
If your devices are jailbroken or rooted, you may reach out to an authorized or accredited service center to check if they have the original settings restored. You can then reinstall and access the GCash app after that.
